On this day: August 9

1969: Followers of Charles Manson murder pregnant actress Sharon Tate (wife of Roman Polanski), coffee heiress Abigail Folger, Polish actor Wojciech Frykowski, men's hairstylist Jay Sebring and recent high-school graduate Steven Parent. Manson and three others were eventually found guilty in the murders, and in the murders the following night of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, and sentenced to death, although their sentences were later commuted to life in prison.

Construction begins on the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a firefighting bear makes his debut, the United States drops the bomb on Japan again, Charles Manson's followers commit mass murder, and Nixon resigns, all on this day.